• 한국석유지질학회:학술대회논문집
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• spring
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• pp.25-35
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• 1997

The latest Pleistocene-Holocene deposits on the Korea Strait shelf form a high-frequency sequence which consists of three systems tracts: the lowstand, transgressive and highstand systems tract. The lowstand systems tract is distributed on the shelf margin and trough region, whereas the highstand systems tract is confined only to the inner shelf. Although the transgressive systems tract between the lowstand systems tract and the highstand systems tract was identified over a wide area of the shelf, it is either very thin (a few meters thick) or absent.

• Journal of the Korean Geophysical Society
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.271-281
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• 2002

Interpretation of high-resolution seismic profiles collected from the inner shetf of the Korea Strait reveals that the shelf sequence in this area consists of three sedimentary units (I, II, and III in a descending order) formed after the last glacial maximum. Lower two units (II and III) represent the transgressive systems tract formed during the Holocene transgression, Unit III above the sequence boundary is interpreted to be the transgressive estuarine deposit, whereas Unit ll above the ravinement surface forms a thin transgressive sand which consists of the sediment produced through shoreface erosion and winnowing during the transgression. Unit I above the maximum flooding surface is the highstand systems tract consisting mainly of recent muds derived from the Nakdong River.

• The Korean Journal of Quaternary Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 2003

A 31m-long sediment core (SSDP-102) was taken from the inner shelf (about 40m water-depth) off the northwestern coast of the Korea Strait. Detailed lithofacies and organic-geochemical analyses were performed to establish a high-resolution stratigraphy in the Korea Strait shelf and to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental changes associated with the Holocene marine transgression. The stratigraphic framework of the core was primarily established using 6 AMS $^{14}C$ ages. The sedimentary record of the core SSDP-102 allows for the reconstruction of the paleoenvironmental changes during the last 12.1 ka BP. According to the high-resolution seismic reflection profiles, lithofacies and organic-geochemical data, the core SSDP-102 can be divided into three units (III to I in ascending order) above the acoustic basement. The three units reflect distinct changes of depositional environments resulted from the post-glacial marine transgression. Therefore, it is suggested that three phases of sea-level change have occurred within the inner shelf of the Korea Strait following the Holocene marine transgression. (1) estuarine environments from ca. 12.1 to 6.2 ka BP; (2) near-shore environments with a period of decreased rising of sea level between 6.2 and 5.1 ka BP; (3) near-shore to modem marine environments after 5.1 ka BP. In particular, the present marine conditions influenced by the warm Tsushima Current have been gradually established after ca. 5.1 ka BP.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.43-56
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• 1987

A study on sedimentation, geochemical behavior and seismic stratigrapht of the continental shelf sediments along the Korea Strait and a part of south and southeast offshore area of the Korea Peninsula was carried out. In the inner shelf floor with depth ranging up to 80m zonal distribution patterns of mud, sandy silt, and silty sand were observed. In the outer shelf, however, coarse sandy sediments are dominant, and shills and gravels were frequently observed. These observations seem to confirm the Holocene sedimentary processes on the continental shelves off the south, south to east coasts of Korea discussed by Park (1985 and 1986) and Park and Choi (1986). The suface sediments (upper most 5cm thick)from selected 9 stations were analyzed for Al,Mn, Fe,Cr,Ni,Cu,Zn and Pb in order to study geochemical behavior of the sediments in the study area. All data were normalized to Al to com,pensate the size effect of the sediments.In general,inner shelf sediments show slight enrichment compared to the outer shelf sediments.In particular,Pb and Zn show heavy enrichment in most of the sediments.to degrees comparable to those observed at the polluted Kwangyang and Masan Bay sediments.Thus,it is considered that rapid migration or movement of fine-grained sediments in the study area does exist. Three seismic stratigraphic units were analyzed based on the seismic records.The acoustic basement the lower sedimentary deposit(B)and the upper deposit(A)were observed.The strong reflectivity R,in particular, between unit A and B is considered to be an erosinal unconformity during the last Glacial time.

• Journal of the korean society of oceanography
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.128-137
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• 1997

This study presents results from a detailed sedimentological investigation of surface sediments obtained from the Korea Strait region, the southern part of the East Sea (Sea of Japan). The distribution of different types of bottom sediments is controlled by the recent fine-grained sediment transport and deposition combined with the lowerings of sea level during the last glacial period, forming a diverse mixture of organic-rich fine-grained and shelly coarse-grained sediments. In comparison to high organic concentration of fine-grained sediments in the inner continental shelf and slope areas, the shell-rich coarse-grained sediments on the outer shelf are discernible being further modified. These coarse-grained sediments are confirmed as relict resulting from the sediment dynamics during the lower sea levels of the last glacial period. Clay mineral distribution of the fine-grained sediments gives information about the transport mechanism. Presence of present-day current system (the Tsushima Warm Current) is most probable source for the fine-grained particles into the open East Sea from the East China Sea, indicating that Holocene sediment dynamics may be used to explain the observed distribution of surface coarse-grained shell-rich sediments.

• 한국해양학회지
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.34-45
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• 1986

A Q-mode factor analysis for 115 surficial bottom sediments on the continental shelf off the southeast coast of Korean Peninsula(the Korea Strait) has been carried out to determine the depositional environments. The first four factors are taken as the "principal" factors, and the results are considered to represent the depositional history and sedimentary processes in relation to the Holocene sea-level changes. The fact implies that the sediments are grouped as outer-shelf relict sand sediments, inner-shelf modern muddy sediments, and finally the palimpsest sediments that are mainly distributed within and around the Korea Trough.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.201-206
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• 2005

Interpretation of high-resolution seismic profiles from the southeastern continental shelf of Korea reveals that the sedimentary deposits consist of seven seismic units formed during the late Quaternary. These units comprise lowstand, transgressive, and highstand systems tracts. The lowstand systems tract consists of a lowstand prograding wedge (SU1) and a mass flow deposit (SU2) including slumps and slides. The transgressive systems tract contains four seismic units: an ancient beach/shoreface deposit (SU3), a channel-fill deposit (SU4), a transgressive sand layer (SU5), and a transgressive sand ridge (SU6). The highstand systems tract consists of an inner-shelf mud deposit (SU7) derived from the Nakdong and Seomjin rivers during the last 6 ka when sea level was close to the present level.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.349-356
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• 2010

Analysis of high-resolution seismic profiles acquired from the southeastern continental shelf of Korea reveals that the late Quaternary transgressive deposits consist of six seismic units created in response to sea-level rise. These units with different seismic facies and geometry can be grouped into two distinct depositional wedges (paralic and marine) bounded by a ravinement surface. The paralic component underlying the ravinement surface consists of the sediment preserved from shoreface erosion and contains incised-channel fill, ancient beach-shoreface deposit and estuarine deposit. The top of paralic unit is truncated by a ravinement surface and overlain by marine component. The marine component consists of the sediment produced through shoreface erosion during landward transgression and contains mid-shelf sand sheet, mid-shelf sand ridge and inner shelf sand sheet. Such transgressive stratigraphic architecture of six sedimentary units is controlled by a function of lateral changes in the balance among rates of relative sea-level rise, sediment input and marine processes at any given time.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.303-312
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• 2011

Analysis of high-resolution seismic profiles from the southeastern continental shelf of Korea reveals that the Holocene transgressive deposits consist of five sedimentary units characterized by retrograding or backstepping depositional arrangements. Unit I, forming a linear sediment body along the shelf margin, is an ancient beach/shoreface deposit formed during the early stage of transgression. During the transgression, the paleo-channels were backfilled with fluvial or coastal-plain sediments, forming Unit II as an incised-channel fill deposit. The near-surface sediment was reworked and eroded by shoreface erosion, forming a thin lag of sands (Unit III) on the midshelf. During the middle stage of the transgression, the shoreline may have stabilized at around 70 - 80 m below the present sea level for some period of time to allow the formation of sand ridge systems (Unit IV). Unit V in the inner shelf was deposited in an estuarine environment during the middle to late stage of transgression. Such transgressive stratigraphic architecture is controlled by a function of lateral changes in the balance among rates of relative sea-level rise, sediment input and marine processes at any given time.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.126-134
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• 2001

Several angular sandstone fragments (about 7 cm in longest diameter) occur in two piston cores, obtained from the submarine trough in the northeastern part of Korea Strait. The origin of the sandstone fragments and the paleoenvironment of trough sediment could be suggested from sedimentary facies analysis of cores and identification of ostracod within sandstone fragments. Echo characteristics around two core sites in submarine trough represent the prolonged bottom echoes with diffuse or no subbottom reflectors. The cores consist of a lower bioturbated mud and an upper gravelly sand sediments with sandstone/shell fragments. The bioturbated mud sediments show low water contents (27-44%) and high shear strength (19.2->37 kPa) compared with those of Holocene sediments (60-219% and 1.0-2.7 kPa, respectively) in the inner shelf and continental slope. However, clay contents (48-56%) of the bioturbated mud sediments are similar to those of fluviatile Holocene sediments in the inner shelf. The mean grain size of gravelly sand sediments ranges from 2.3 to 3.0 ${\phi}$ and shows coarsening upward with sandstone/shell fragments. The Holocene palimpsest in the continental shelf are composed of muddy sand sediments or sandy mud sediments (mean grain size: 4.6-7.6 ${\phi}$). Those suggest that two core sediments might be formed from Paleofluvial and paleocoastal deposits during sea-level lowstand. However, sandstone fragments mainly consist of quartz grains and bioclasts, with carbonate matrix, hollow pore, and glauconite. Two extinct ostracod species, Normanicythere sp. and Kotoracythere sp., are recovered in the sand-stone fragments of core EP-7, and they continued to exist from late Pliocene to early Pleistocene in cold water environment of this area. Thus, the sandstone fragments are interpreted to be formed at the paleocoastal environment derived from the Plio-Pleistocene outcrops exposed around the submarine trough during the LGM (Last Glacial Maximum) period.